Tom Holland On Spider-Man Successor: “Owen Cooper Would Be Awesome”

Tom Holland has started thinking about life after the mask, and he already has someone in mind. With his fourth outing as Spider-Man on the horizon, Holland used a new interview to name “Adolescence” breakout Owen Cooper as a candidate he would love to see take over the role one day.

The comment came as Holland reflected more broadly on his future with the franchise, weighing both how long he wants to keep playing Peter Parker and what role he might play behind the scenes once he eventually steps away.

What Tom Holland Said

Speaking with Esquire UK, Holland was asked who might make a good successor as Spider-Man. His answer was direct and enthusiastic, pointing to Cooper as a standout choice given his recent rise in the industry.

Holland also suggested the role could serve as a “great springboard” for a rising star, signaling that he sees real upside in the franchise eventually being handed to a fresh face rather than another established name.

Why Owen Cooper Is in the Conversation

Cooper’s name has been impossible to avoid in the industry over the past year. The young actor broke through with his performance in Netflix’s “Adolescence,” a role that turned him into one of the most talked-about new talents in film and television.

Cooper’s performance in “Adolescence” earned widespread acclaim for its naturalism, particularly notable given the demands of the show’s extended single-take filming style. Notably, this isn’t the first time Cooper’s name has come up in connection with Spider-Man. In a 2025 interview, he openly stated his own interest in the role, telling i-D magazine, “I want to play Spider-Man.”

Adding a layer of symmetry to the pick, Cooper has previously cited Holland’s performance in 2012’s “The Impossible” as one of the reasons he pursued acting in the first place, meaning Holland’s endorsement effectively closes a loop that started with Cooper looking up to him.

Holland’s Vision for the Franchise’s Future

Beyond naming a specific successor, Holland made clear he hopes to stay connected to the Spider-Man franchise even after he eventually exits the role. He acknowledged that securing an official producing credit on future films is “pretty tough,” but said he would still like to offer guidance to whoever eventually takes over, similar to the mentorship Robert Downey Jr. provided him during his own run as Iron Man.

Holland has also spoken about the broader direction the franchise could take next, floating the idea that his successor might not necessarily be another version of Peter Parker at all.

Holland framed his ideal exit in simple terms, saying that if he could do for his successor what Downey Jr. did for him, he would be content “swinging off into the sunset” once his time in the role comes to an end.

Holland’s Spider-Man Run So Far

Holland’s tenure as Spider-Man began with a memorable introduction in “Captain America: Civil War” before headlining his own trilogy and appearing across multiple Avengers films. With “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” marking his fourth solo outing, Holland has now appeared in the role longer than either of his immediate predecessors, giving extra weight to questions about how and when his run might eventually end.

For now, no formal succession plan exists, and Holland gave no indication he is stepping away from the role anytime soon. But with a high-profile name now publicly in the mix, speculation about who comes after him is likely to follow Holland through the press cycle of his upcoming film.

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